Aussie Alpaca export pathway to Chile set to soar
Australian alpacas could be jet-setting into Chile as soon as next year thanks to a new trade deal between the two countries aimed at bolstering Chile’s national alpaca herd.
The Federal Government announced the new export pathway last week after nearly a year of negotiations with the Chilean government and Australian farmers.
But it could be some time until Australian alpacas get into the air, with travel restrictions limiting availability of direct freight flights from Australia to Chile.
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment biosecurity head Andrew Tongue said the arrangement would benefit Chile’s national herd and Australian farmers.
He said the Government had worked closely with the Australian Alpaca Association to meet Chile’s biosecurity needs and avoid “undue burden or costs” on exporters.
“Australian animals and fleeces are ranked among the world’s best, with alpaca fibre used in high-fashion garments, knitwear, blankets, doonas and even carpets,” he said.
“This is a significant new market for Australia with the potential to provide support to this niche but valuable industry and bring real returns to producers at the farm gate.”
The new export pathway comes more than 30 years after some of the first alpacas imported into Australia came from Chile.
There are now about 1200 breeders and more than 51,000 of the animals registered in Australia, where producers’ alpaca genetics are in global demand.
Australia already flies alpacas to Malaysia, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and China, but exports have plummeted from 1214 in 2015-16 to 166 in 2019-20.
Australian Alpaca Association vice-president Prue Waldock said a new agreement provided access to a more premium market.
She described existing markets as “second-tier” and said stock were mainly for use as pets or for fleeces, while Chile would pay more for access to Australian bloodlines. Ms Waldock said the arrangement also provided a way for Australian alpacas to be sent to the EU — through Chile — for the first time since the New Zealand pathway closed in 2018.
The EU only allows the importation of alpacas from countries it has third country economic relationships with, including New Zealand.
“Studs in Australia have really in-demand genetics. You can’t send semen or embryos, so live export of alpacas is our only way to trade on the global market,” she said.
“This is a really positive step because it opens up the trade pathway for the EU, where there is a high and premium demand for our genetics.
“The animals will be used to improve the breeding stock in New Zealand, the EU and the UK.
“We gone the full cycle from when nearly all of Australia’s first alpacas came from Chile.”
Ms Waldock said a severe reduction in freight flights — used to export alpacas — meant it would be at least a year until the first Australian alpacas were sent to Chile.
“It is excellent we have this pathway in place, but now our challenge is the restrictions on flights and availability,” she said.
“We have about 200 animals that have been sold into the EU and UK, via other countries, so they will be the first to go when the pathway opens up again.”
The Australian Alpaca Association works as a centralised collection service for Australian Alpaca Fleece, which ships directly to Peru for grading and processing into garments.
Many of the garments then return to Australia for sale in the retail industry.
Australian Alpaca Association is also gunning for direct access into the EU, where there is significant demand for premium genetics from Australia.
“There is a premium demand for our premium bloodstock, and the EU is a premium market that our producers want to access,” Ms Waldock said.
To export into the EU, they only take animals from countries that have third country status - like the UK, Chile, NZ and Canada. Australia doesn’t have that access.
Since the New Zealand pathway closed in 2018, there has been a blow to industry worth $5.1 million.
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